Doorknob construction



June 24, 1952 5 J CRON|N 2,601,596

DOORKNOB CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 12, 1950 INVENTOR. JIJVUZL J (EDA/11V fiTTOHNE'Y Patented June 24, 1952 I STATE O FICE 2 95 poonnnon coNsrnUcriOis r" Gem 1 application'ilanuary' 12, 195e, Serial No; ssue 4 g nt (outta-4&9

no i'eo i rus onsi a biegtofihe Present ent am.-

door knob onstruction wherein the knob e frh s h'kn fiie n sz ed ts o de e e en ii ehi e Fhfii 5 t not be'easily broken inasmuch as v be "made of fragile' glass or porcelain mi 1 1 th 'ben l f Y ,rj obi, fd t e re en n li. 1 replaceable door' knob construbtion wherein the only part which is replaced is the knobelernent' itself and wherein thereafter the new knob can be made secure with the same partswhereby't makeerislaces le door knob 'cbi'istruc'tiofl whicirmakes "possibie the f'replacement of the knob without great expense and wherein the kIlObScan'bQchanged' easily and frequently .when a different color scheme or design pf t, nob is desired.

I objects of the presentinvention are to a or knob construct" which is 'iinple, to' m'anufactfir has a ,minii'num .f i fi l l i a' the knob'elment itself is floatingly mounted in the attaching parts, permits a quick change of the knob elements and efficient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connec tion with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of the door knob construction embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a collective and sectional view of the door knob parts.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a spring ring used for the assembly of the knob element in the body element.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a rubber cushioning ring.

' Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the resilient driving pin units connected between the knob element and the body element.

Referring now to the figures, HJ represents a door having the usual latch assembly II in the edge thereof. Latch element l2 can be turned by knob shaft l3. A latch element I4 can be turned by a key extending through a key opening I5 of a plate 16 on the door face.

A body element I1 is fixed to the shaft by a.

e re il le d w he aviato seem a re acea le d iq end of heb d e em n I e h ee h l' .22

s aced one hundred twe de s apart and ad pte w retir s ie dri in P n 2 he flanged end I!) of the knob element g] is similarly provided with openings 24 for receiving the resilient pins 23. Eachresilient pin comprises a rubber'sleeve 25 andan internal coil spring 26, h angsd nd 9 in ac in he c ssed j of'the o' f H a rubber i i fi ted i the ess over the flanged end and a spring reta n ngring is disposed and seated in a peripheraigiioove'ga in the open 'e'ndio'f the bodyand overthe'rubbr ring 21 and'fiange" [9 whereby to lock andr'ei in the knob element 2T in the body [1; The knob element 2| is' "accordinglyfi'oatfingly mounted within the bodyland will withstand shock; Thediiving pins" ,23'ar'e s'uflicien'tly rigid so as" tdeffe'ct a good driving connection bet eefi the knob and bodyelements' Thejbody lrn .t H has acentral hole, 3] for receiving the shaft l3. Th'e'knob' Zl'is formed of glass, porce' l'ai'rL'or other fragilematerial. 'It is" ho1low and h aflargeopening inthe'fi'angede'nd, 'as'indidated "at 32, forf'receiving the shaft i3. The diameter of this hole' is greater'th'aii the'shaft l3 so that at no time can the flanged end or the fragile material of the knob element engage or be destroyed by the shaft I3. The knob element 2| can receive a blow, .but the resilient elements will cushion this blow to prevent breakage of the fragile knob element 2 I The turning of the knob element will turn the body I! and shaft l3 due to its connection by means of resilient driving pins 23 which extend between the elements. The diameter of the flange is slightly less than the internal diameter of the recessed end of the.

body The knob element is accordingly floatingly connected with the body element I1. There is little opportunity for destruction of the knob element.

It will be apparent that at any time it is desired to change the knob elements for a different pattern or color, that the spring retaining ring 28 can be easily removed from the groove 29 of the body I 1 and the flanged end of the knob element withdrawn from the body IT. A new knob element can be reinserted and retained in the body I! by fitting the rubber ring 27 thereover and snapping the retaining ring 28 in place within the groove 29.

Holes 34 and 35 are provided upon the ends of the spring ring 28 and are adapted to receive a tool which will draw the ends of the ring together so as to permit the insertion of the ring into the recess 29 or the withdrawal of the same from such recess. The ring 28 is of the snap ring type and will be snapped in and out of the groove 29.

It will be apparent that the knob element can be made of any other material such as plastic or even metal and the same floating means can be used for the connection of the knob to the body.

It will also be apparent that the knob element and the body element can be made difierently so that the flange may be provided upon the body element and the recess provided upon the knob element and still the resilient connection, as above described, can be effected. The opening in the body element can be either round or square,

as may be desired. The set screw l8, will prevent the axial displacement of the body element from the shaft I3.

It will also be apparent that at all times the knob element will be protected from any knock or blow,

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such. changes shall be within the spirit and scope of thepresent invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

'1. A door knob construction comprising a shaft, a body connected to the shaft, said body having a recessed end, a replaceable door knob element having a flanged end adapted to seat in the recessed end of the body, a cushioning ring surrounding the flanged end of the knob, a retaining ring surrounding the cushioning ring and connected to the body and driving connection means extending between the flanged end of the knob and the body.

2. A door knob construction comprising a shaft, a body connected to the shaft, said body having a recessed end, a replaceable door knob element having a flanged end adapted to seat in the recessed end of the body, a cushioning ring surrounding the flanged end of the knob, a retaining ring surrounding the cushioning ring and connected to the body and driving connection means extending between the flanged end of 4 the knob and the body, said driving end connection means comprising a plurality of angularly spaced pin assemblies, each of the pin assemblies comprising a rubber sleeve with a coil spring disposed in the center thereof.

3. A door knob construction comprising a shaft, a body element connected to the shaft, a knob element adapted to be replaceably connected upon the body element, one. of said elements having a recess and the other of" said elements having an enlargement adapted to fit the recess of the one element, a cushioning ring surrounding the enlargement end of the other element, a retaining ring surrounding the cushioning ring and connected to the. one element and driving 'means drivingly connecting the knob element with the body element.

4. A door knob construction comprising a shaft, 3, body element connected to the shaft, a knob element adapted to be replaceably connected'upon the body element, one of- 'said elements having a recess and the other of said elements having an enlargement adapted to fit the recess of the one element, means for securing the elements together, and resilient driving means drivingly' connecting the knob element with the body element, and said resilient driving means comprising a plurality of angularly spaced pin assemblies, each of the pin assemblies including a rubber sleeve with a coil spring disposed in the center thereof, said elements having openings registerable with one another for receiving the pin assembly.

' SAMUEL J. CRO'NIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofrecord in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,059,659 De Wolfe Apr. 22, 1913 1,482,095 Serrell Jan. 29, 1924 1,516,152 Dumont Nov. .18, 1924 2,034,746 Ciak et a1 Mar. 24, 1936 "2,160,611 Alexander May 39, 1939 

